Smaller Victories
by bluemoonmaverick
Summary: How did the team spend their time on P3X-234 after the events of Nemesis? What's behind those looks between Sam and Jack after they get back? And why the heck did Teal'c grow a blond goatee? S/J ship, of course.
1. Chapter 1

**Episode Summary for Nemesis: Daniel is sidelined in the infirmary with appendicitis, so the team is on stand down. After Jack has asked Sam to accompany him to his cabin for a fishing trip and she declines, he is beamed aboard Thor's ship, which is in orbit above Earth and is being overrun with Replicators. Thor asks for Jack's help in destroying the Replicators, and Teal'c and Sam beam up to the ship to assist. Ultimately, the team devises a plan where they blow up Thor's ship as they all escape through the SGC Stargate (which they have beamed aboard) to P3X-234. **

All three tumbled out of the Stargate and down the rough hewn stairs. Even Teal'c was unable to keep his feet. As he landed at the bottom, Jack rubbed his head and muttered, "Stairs...why'd you have to pick a 'gate with stairs?"

They stood up slowly, checking for broken bones and looking around to ensure that none of the Replicators had managed to make the trip with them. Jack looked at his team. "Everyone okay?"

Teal'c was the first to respond. "I am uninjured, O'Neill."

"I'm okay, too. You, sir?" asked Sam.

"Uh," he patted his frame. "Yep, I'm good. Well, that was fun, kids. Glad we made it here in one piece." Jack turned around in a circle, taking in the familiar landscape of trees - lots of trees - and not much else. "Um, Teal'c, where is here, again?"

"P3X-234."

When Jack just stared at him, Sam jumped in. "This is one of the planets we considered as a potential Alpha Site."

"Ah. And dare I ask why we didn't choose it? Restless natives? Rupturing volcanoes?"

"No, sir. There's nothing problematic here at all, sir. Actually, this planet was almost selected. Ultimately, though, we decided it was too remote."

"All righty, then. Nice call, T."

"Thank you, O'Neill. However, should we not dial an inhabited planet and attempt to contact one of our allies?"

"Yeah, speaking of allies, how's Thor?"

Sam walked over to the stasis pod and checked the controls. "He's stable for now, sir, but I'm not sure how much longer he can last without medical attention."

At that precise moment, there was a flash of light and then the stasis pod was gone. Jack waited a moment and looked up at the sky. "Hey! What about us?" When nothing happened, Jack looked at his Second. "Carter?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know, sir. Maybe the pod automatically sent him to the nearest ship within range."

"Well, aren't they forgetting something?"

"They may not know we're here or where here is, for that matter. Then again, they could be on their way."

Jack blew out a breath and rubbed his hands through his hair, causing it to stand up on end. He looked at Sam. "How long do you think it will take to get the second Stargate up and running back on Earth?"

She thought for a minute. "Well, assuming everything goes smoothly, I would think they could get it operational within three or four days."

"Okay. Then I say we stay here until then." When Sam started to protest, Jack held up his hands. "Look, if the Asgard are on their way, I don't want to miss them. If they haven't shown up after four days, and we still can't dial home, then we can visit some of our other friends."

"But, sir, we don't have any supplies."

Jack just smiled at her. "Carter. Look around. It's beautiful, temperate, and we have everything we need right here. We can live off the land." He clapped his hands together. "It'll be like a vacation!"

Sam looked at Teal'c who simply raised a single eyebrow in reply.

They set out scouting the area and quickly found a large rocky outcropping on the edge of the forest that would provide adequate shelter from the elements. It was also strategically located just within sight of the Stargate and near a spring fed stream that, much to Jack's delight, was filled with fish.

Though neither Sam nor Teal'c were equipped with much other than their weapons and some spare ammo, Jack had a flint, a deck of cards, and some fishing line and lures stashed in his pockets. When he pulled out the last items, he looked at Sam, gave her big smile, and said, "See. Everything we need."

As Jack wandered off to look for a suitable stick for his line, Sam turned to Teal'c and whispered, "I'm starting to think the Colonel actually _wants_ to stay here."

"Indeed," was his only reply.

Nevertheless, within a few hours, the team was sitting around a decent sized fire, eating fresh caught fish, and playing poker. When she was finished eating, Sam sat back, looked out at the starry sky, and murmured contentedly, "Maybe this isn't so bad after all."

Jack's eyes were sparkling as he licked the last of his fish from his fingers. "I told ya."

She closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep.

The next few days passed without incident, and the three teammates quickly fell into a pattern borne of long experience in the field together. In the morning, they would attempt to dial Earth, then catch and prepare their breakfast. During the midday, they would each take a turn washing in the stream, while the others looked for food and generally attempted to make their camp more livable. The evenings were spent around a campfire, playing cards.

By the end of the fourth night on the planet, they had all tired of the routine. Fortunately, earlier that day, Sam had shot a goat-like animal, which meant meat for dinner. In addition, Teal'c had found some berries, and after trying several, he deemed them fit to eat.

That evening, thankful to have something other than fish, they gorged themselves on goat meat and berries and discussed which planet they would dial the following day in the event they could not contact Earth. After much debate, they finally agreed on Cimmeria, since they might be able to contact the Asgard there even if they couldn't reach Earth.

Once that was decided, the conversation turned to how to spend their last evening on P3X-234.

Sam polished off a handful of berries and sighed. "I really don't want to play cards tonight."

"I, too, grow weary of this activity," added Teal'c.

"Well, we get crappy reception out here," replied the Colonel, "so TV's out. Any other ideas?" He threw a berry up in the air and caught it in his mouth.

"We could play truth or dare," Sam offered.

Teal'c arched an eyebrow. "I do not know this game."

Sam wasn't exactly sure where the idea came from, but she decided to go with it. She turned to the Jaffa. "It's easy, Teal'c. We take each take a turn asking someone else in the group whether they choose truth or dare. If the choice is truth, then the person can ask any question they like, and the other person has to give a truthful answer. If the choice is dare, then the person gives them some task to perform, usually something embarrassing or dangerous. In any case, if the other person refuses to answer or do the task, then the person who's asking wins. And vice versa."

"I do not understand the purpose of this game."

"It's fun. Here, I'll go first." She turned to Jack. "Colonel, truth or dare?"

He shrugged and popped another berry in his mouth. "Uh, truth, I guess."

"Okay." Sam thought for a moment. "How many people have you slept with?" She _really_ didn't know where that came from but was surprised to realize that she was very interested in the answer.

He looked at her with narrowed eyes. "A little personal, don't ya think, Carter?"

"That's the point, sir. You could always refuse to answer." She flashed him a mischievous smile. "But then I'll win."

"Fine. Four."

"Four?"

"You got a problem with that?"

"No, sir. I guess I just, um...really, only four?"

"Look, I married my high school sweetheart and was faithful to her throughout our marriage. So, yes, only four. Plus, some would say it's about quality, Carter, not quantity."

Teal'c, who had picked up the heart of the goat and was currently poking at it, spoke up. "On Chulak, it is likewise common to have few lovers throughout one's lifetime."

Jack gestured toward Teal'c and turned to face Sam. "There. See? I'm in good company. So how many people have you slept with?"

Sam flushed. Surprisingly, she had not seen that coming. "Um, it's not my turn."

Jack, sensing that retribution was imminent, decided to pursue the issue. "Yeah, well, it is _my_ turn. And now I'm asking you, Carter, how many people have you slept with?"

Panic was starting to set in. "You have to ask me if I want truth or dare."

"Just answer the question, Major."

She decided to change tactics. "Well, I never really kept count."

"Ballpark it for me," Jack said, his voice low and slow.

"Uh, okay." She thought for a moment and then looked at her commanding officer and winced. "Maybe 25?"

"25! Jeez, Carter." Jack was genuinely shocked. He would have been less surprised to find out she was a virgin.

"I may have been a little wild in college," she replied, attempting to maintain some dignity.

"A little?" Jack's voice cracked on the word. "Last time I checked, college only lasts four years."

"I went to grad school, too," she said defensively.

Teal'c interrupted. "Major Carter, do you still believe this game to be fun?"

"Maybe we should play a different game," she replied, looking down. She was starting to feel a little woozy.

Jack, however, was watching his Jaffa teammate, who was smearing the goat's blood in stripes on his cheeks and forehead. "Teal'c, what the hell are you doing to your face?"

"I am honoring the animal that gave its life so we could sustain our own."

"Uh…okay," Jack replied, drawing out the last word.

Sam looked at her commanding officer. "You're mean," she said out of the blue.

"Mean? I'm not mean. I'm a teddy bear. Teal'c, I'm a teddy bear, aren't I?"

"You are not, O'Neill." Teal'c was now smearing goat's blood down his arms.

Jack completely ignored him, his attention fully on his Second, who was starting to look kind of fuzzy. "Well, maybe, if you didn't have such a stick up your ass, I'd show you how nice I can be."

"I do not have a stick up my ass!…um, sir." Sam attempted to sit up and straighten her shirt and almost fell over in the process.

Jack leered toward his Second. He was starting to slur his words. "When did you get so uptight, anyway? Sounds like you were a lot of fun in college."

"Aha! That proves it." She was trying to point at her commanding officer but was having trouble as she was seeing at least two of him. "You're mean. You're just a…big… meanie!" She hiccupped.

"Am not. Teal'c whadda you think?"

"I believe you could resolve your differences, O'Neill, if you would kiss Major Carter, and, as they say on your planet, 'just get it over with.'"

They both stared at the Jaffa in shock. Several seconds passed before anyone said anything. Then Jack started grinning. "Damn, Teal'c. Did you know you ended that sentence with a preposition?"

At that, Sam burst out laughing, which got Jack chuckling as well. She turned to her commanding officer, her eyes half-lidded. "You want to kiss me, don't you?" she asked in a low, sultry voice.

"That depends," he replied equally low, though not quite as sultry, "will you still think I'm mean?"

"Well, let's find out, shall we?" And with that she leaned toward Jack and immediately fell into his lap, having passed out.

Jack looked up at Teal'c with a silly grin on his face. "Think I should still kiss her?" But no sooner were the words out of his mouth when he fell backwards, snoring before his head hit the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

When Jack regained consciousness, he noticed three things at once. First, it was now light outside; second, he had a splitting headache; and third, something warm and heavy was lying on top of him. He lifted himself up on his elbows and immediately wished he hadn't. "Ow!" he grunted, putting his hand to his forehead and closing his eyes.

What he saw when he opened them again made him pause. A mop of blond hair was currently situated on his lower abdomen. "Crap," he muttered. Jack tried desperately to remember what had happened last night but came up with nothing. Quickly, he looked over the still form of his Second. She appeared to be breathing, which was good, and perhaps more importantly, she was fully clothed.

"Carter." Jack tapped her shoulder. Nothing. "Carter," he said a little louder, poking her arm. Still nothing. "Carter!" He gave her a good shove, and she startled awake.

"Wha..?" She lifted her head, groaned, and immediately let her head drop back down. Right on Jack's crotch.

"Uh, Carter, as flattered as I am, I usually insist on dinner first."

Sam slowly raised her head again, took in her positioning, and jumped up. "Oh! Oh my god! I'm so sorry, sir! I...I don't know what happened." She furrowed her brow in confusion and then looked directly at Jack, concerned. "What did happen?"

He grunted and stood up. "Nothing. Bad berries, I think."

"Oh, my head," she moaned, putting her hands on either side of her face. "I can't remember anything from last night. Do you remember anything, sir?"

"Uh, everything's pretty fuzzy, Carter." He looked around the camp. "Where's Teal'c?"

Sam looked around as well. "Maybe he went to the stream to wash up?" She picked up her radio to call him only to realize that his radio was sitting next to hers. She opted for the low-tech approach and cupped her mouth. "Teal'c!" she called. "Teal'c!" She got no response.

Jack was poking around what remained of the campfire, when he saw something strange in the ashes. He turned the lump over and realized it was what remained of the goat heart. He had a vision of Teal'c putting blood on his face.

"Carter, do you remember Teal'c acting weird last night?"

She blew out a breath. "I really don't remember much of anything." Her head snapped up suddenly. "Wait! I remember him talking about honoring the goat...or, uh, something like that."

"Right..." Jack walked down to stream, with Sam close behind. When they got to the bank of the small river, Jack knelt down. "Look here, where the grass is trampled. He must have walked downstream."

"So, you think he passed out somewhere down this path?"

"Maybe. But remember that he doesn't really sleep. With Junior along for the ride, there's no telling how those berries might have affected his body chemistry."

Sam looked skeptical. "But why would he walk away from camp?"

Jack shrugged. "Who knows? Why did he paint his face with goat blood? I don't think any of us were in our right minds last night." He sighed. "Bottom line, we need to find him. Go grab your gear; there's no telling how far he might have gone."

"Do you want to try dialing the 'gate?"

Jack thought for a moment. "Let's go get Teal'c first. It's not like we're gonna leave without him, anyway."

The two officers grabbed their tac vests and weapons and headed down the trail made by Teal'c the night before. After walking for over an hour, they still hadn't seen any sign of the Jaffa. They were, however, able to follow his path, as he stuck to the river and clearly had made no attempt to conceal his tracks. After another hour, Jack called a halt in order to catch some breakfast and rest a bit.

"Where the hell did he go?" wondered Jack, as he pulled out his fishing line.

"And what was he thinking?" Sam added.

Jack sighed. "He wasn't. None of us were."

Jack threw the line in the water and grimaced. Over the course of their walk, almost the entire evening had come back to him, everything up until Sam had accused him of being mean. And he wasn't sure, but he thought he might have kissed her. It wouldn't surprise him; he'd thought about that - and more - with increasing frequency over the last few years. But thinking about it and doing it were two completely different things. And the latter was just plain stupid. She was his subordinate officer, after all, not to mention 16 years his junior.

Sam watched her commanding officer out of the corner of her eye as she prepared a small fire for the fish. He was in a foul mood, and she couldn't shake the feeling that his last comment was directed at her. What could she have done to wind up asleep on top of him? Had she come on to him? She hoped not, but she had to acknowledge it was a distinct possibility. She had realized a long time ago that, despite her better judgment, she was extremely attracted to her commanding officer. At first, it had been purely physical. But as she had grown to know him better, she became increasingly drawn to the compassionate man behind the gruff facade. She sighed. They had come a long way over the last three years – from uncertainty to mutual respect to friendship. She hoped she hadn't screwed that up last night.

After they ate and cleaned up, they continued hiking down the trail. Some three hours later, they were a good distance from their camp and no closer to finding Teal'c. Sam was starting to get worried. "You think he's okay?"

"I hope so," Jack replied. He, too, was growing concerned. Teal'c should have come to his senses by now and started back to camp.

Sam spotted a berry bush on the side of the trail. "Sir, look here." She knelt down next to bush and looked closely at the stems. Several berries had been pulled off.

"Crap. He's still eating the damn things. No wonder he hasn't come back."

"Sir, if he's still under the influence and continues heading...whereever he's heading, we may never catch him."

Jack shook his head. "Even a Jaffa can't keep going forever. We'll catch up to him eventually." He looked at Sam. "But it could take awhile. How are you doing?"

She smiled. "Fine, sir. Let's keep going."

They walked for another hour and a half through the forest when they heard the unmistakeable sound of swiftly running water. Suddenly, the ground before them dropped off, the stream tumbling over the edge in a glorious waterfall. Looking over the small cliff, they could see a beautifully clear pool several feet below.

"Oh! It looks like paradise!" Sam exclaimed.

Jack was more pragmatic. "I think I see where the trail picks up down there. Let's see if we can find a way down."

Carefully, they made their way down the cliff. Sure enough, Teal'c's trail picked up from the edge of the pool and turned into the forest, away from the water.

Jack looked up at the sky, through the opening above the pool, trying to get a sense of how much sunlight they had left. Sam, on the other hand, just stared longingly at the water. It had been a hot and humid hike, and she hadn't bathed since yesterday morning.

She finally looked up to find Jack staring at her, a small smile on his face. "Okay," he said, "but only for a couple minutes. I'd like to go a few more miles today, and we don't want to be wet when night falls."

Sam nearly jumped for joy, and immediately began taking off her tac vest and BDUs. As she started pulling her T-shirt over her head, Jack realized he should probably turn away. After three years in the field together, there wasn't much the team hadn't seen of one another, but they still liked to give each other the illusion of privacy.

Jack likewise removed all of his clothing, save his boxers, and immediately turned around in time to watch Sam dive into the pond. He was both relieved and a little disappointed to see that her bra and panties were black instead of white. He stared for a moment as she swam under the crystal clear water. God, but she was beautiful. She had always been tall and thin, but over the last several years she had become extremely toned as well. Amazingly, though, she hadn't lost any of her curves.

She surfaced and called out to him. "Are you coming, sir?"

I will be if I keep staring at you, he thought. "How is it?" he asked instead.

"Cold!" she replied.

Ah, just what he needed. He jumped in and was shocked at just how cold it was. "Jesus, Carter! It's freezing in here!"

She laughed and splashed him with some water. He immediately dove down beneath her and pulled her foot down, causing her head to dip below the water. When he surfaced, she splashed him again. As he made a beeline for her, she yelped and tried to swim away, but he caught her by the shoulder. He'd planned to dunk her, but something caught his eye, and he stopped short.

"Carter, what's that on your neck?"

"What?" she asked, spinning in a circle, trying to see her own neck.

"Stay still," Jack said, grabbing hold of both her shoulders. He leaned her head to the side and peered closely at the black mark on her white skin.

"Oh, crap. We need to get out of the pond. Now."

"Why, what is it?" she asked.

"Leeches."

Sam lost no time getting to the edge of the pool and pulling herself out. Jack was right behind her. As she watched him exit, she noticed that he, too, had some black marks on his skin. She likewise noticed that his wet boxers left very little to the imagination. She blushed and immediately looked away.

"You know how to remove these things, Carter?"

"Yes, sir," she replied, peeling one off of her abdomen, and trying not to think about the fact that her commanding officer was apparently well endowed.

Sam spent several minutes removing all the leeches she could find from her own body. When she was done, Jack motioned for her to turn around, and he began taking them off of her neck, back, and legs. After a few minutes he stopped, then said, "Take off your underwear, Carter."

"Sir?"

"We need to make sure we got them all. You can check the front; I'll check the back."

"Yes, sir." Slowly, she reached around her back, unclasped her bra, and let it fall down her arms. She couldn't help but think of how awkward, yet intimate, this situation was. Before she could get too carried away with that train of thought, though, she looked down a saw a black leech on the side of her breast. She peeled it off with a sound of disgust.

She quickly slipped her panties off and was relieved to find no other black marks. Just as she was about to begin redressing, she felt Jack's hands on her hips. "Hold still," he said quietly.

Jack knelt down, and Sam blushed to her roots, as she realized he was closely examining her backside. She felt him remove a leech from her left cheek.

He sighed. "Listen, Carter, this is going to sound really strange, but can you spread your legs a little?"

By now, she was crimson she was blushing so badly, but she did as he asked and widened her stance. She couldn't help but gasp when she felt his fingers pinch the skin, high and to the inside of the juncture of her cheek and thigh.

He stood up and let out a breath. "Sorry about that. I think I got 'em all, though."

She quickly began putting her underwear back on. "Well, that was humiliating." She turned to face him.

"Listen, you have nothing to be ashamed of." He closed his eyes, as he realized how that sounded. "You know what I mean. Anyway, you're about to get your revenge." And with that he turned around and dropped his boxers.

She quickly pinched several leeches off of his back and legs. Even though he didn't have any on his backside, she did spend a considerable amount of time checking to be sure. If she happened to enjoy the view, well then that was merely a bonus. Just as she was about to announce that she was done, she heard him mutter, "Fuck."

"What?" she asked.

He groaned. "I've got one on my...fuck!"

She couldn't help but giggle. He almost turned on her, then thought twice. He yelled at her over his shoulder, "Oh, you think this is funny, Major?"

"A little, yes." She started giggling harder. "Do you want me to get it?"

"Very funny," he replied. He turned his head over his shoulder again. "And don't tempt me." She laughed harder still.

"Arrggggh...fuck!" he yelled as he pulled the leech off his most sensitive spot and flung it to the ground. He pulled his boxers back on, turned around, and glared at her.

"Sorry," she mumbled, trying not to smile.

He ran his hands through his hair and blew out a large breath. "Let's get dressed and hit the trail. We've got a couple of hours of daylight still. Hopefully, we'll find Teal'c before it gets dark."

They walked for another two hours and never found Teal'c. They did, however, pass a second bush that looked like it had had almost all of its berries removed. By then, however, it was starting to get dark, so Jack decided to call it a night. Fortunately, they had brought a couple of fish with them when they realized Teal'c's trail left the water.

As they sat by the fire roasting their fish, her chin resting on her knees, Sam thought back over the events of the day. It occurred to her that things probably would have gone somewhat differently had it been Daniel or Teal'c with the Colonel.

"Is it difficult having a woman on your team?" she asked, staring into the fire. She had always wondered if the Colonel wouldn't prefer having another man on SG1, instead of her.

It was long time before he answered, and she wondered if she had offended him. "That depends on what you mean," he said finally. She turned to look at him, and he continued, his eyes still on the fire. "Frankly, things today were a little uncomfortable, with the leeches and all." She blushed just thinking about it. "Not that _I _minded, of course," he smiled slightly as he spoke, "but I got the impression you were a little embarassed." After a moment, he added, "And I'm pretty sure none of my male subordinates ever offered to kiss me."

Sam felt her cheeks heat. The previous evening had come back to her in bits and pieces throughout the day. Clearly, it had come back to the Colonel, too.

He looked up from the fire and faced her, his demeanor completely serious now. "But at the end of the day, there is no one I would rather have by my side, Sam. Don't ever doubt that." And with that, he stretched out by fire and closed his eyes.

Sam considered his words and felt herself relax a little. She, too, stretched out next to the fire. And as she closed her eyes, she whispered, "Thank you, sir."

**A/N - I added an episode summary to the beginning of the story; I forgot that not everyone is so rabidly obsessed with this series they have every episode committed to memory. Also, if you are enjoying the story (or even if you're not), I'd love to hear it. In any case, thanks for reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

Sam and Jack woke early the next morning, determined to get an early start. They were both very worried about Teal'c, though neither of them voiced their concerns to the other. By now, they had run out of fish, and without the stream nearby, they were forced to go without breakfast.

As they headed down the trail left by the Jaffa, they said very little, both lost in their thoughts. As the morning wore on, Sam grew more and more uncomfortable.

"Sir, do you get the feeling we're being watched?"

Jack looked around. "I hadn't noticed."

"Maybe I'm just paranoid. But it seems almost too quiet."

"We could play a game." Jack smirked. "Truth or dare?"

"That's funny, sir," Sam replied. The fact was that she had been thinking about that night quite a bit. After a moment she decided to go for broke and ask the question that had been on her mind since they had played the stupid game. "Sir, about that..."

Jack cut her off. "Listen, Carter, don't worry about it. We were all whacked out on berry juice."

"No, sir. That's not it. I was curious about something you said." He looked at her with raised eyebrows, so she continued. "You said you had slept with four women. One was obviously your wife, one was Kynthia..."

"Oh, crap," he said. "I forgot about her. Thanks for reminding me, Carter. Are you sure I need to count her?"

Sam huffed. "Well, if we're not going to count one night stands then, for the record, my number decreases significantly."

Jack turned to face her as they continued walking, the smirk back on his face. "I'm not sure that helps your case, Carter."

"Anyway," she said quickly, "I was just curious who the others were."

Jack kept walking. "Once again, Carter, a little personal, no?"

"Well, we're friends, right?"

"Right," Jack responded, drawing out the word warily.

"And that's what friends do, right? Talk about their personal lives?"

He sighed. "All right. One was my girlfriend before I dated Sara. One was a woman I saw when Sara and I had broken up, after high school but before we were married. Sara, of course. Kynthia..." At that, he looked at his Second pointedly. "And then..." He hesitated. For some reason, he didn't feel comfortable discussing his relationship with Laira with Sam, though he wasn't sure why.

"Laira?" asked Sam.

"Yeah, Laira."

They walked in silence for a few minutes. Sam mustered her courage and finally asked the question she really wanted to know. "Did you love her?"

Jack stopped abruptly and turned to face his Second. He looked at her for a long moment, and she was sure she had gone too far this time. Just as she was about to apologize, he spoke. "No. I didn't." He turned and started walking again, then asked over his shoulder, "Why do you ask?"

Sam started walking again, too, trailing slightly behind. "It's just that when we finally got the Stargate working on Edora, and we were able to bring you home...it seemed like you didn't really want to leave." Truthfully, Sam had been devastated by Jack's reaction to her when she arrived on the planet. She had worked day and night for three months to bring him back and when she had been explaining what she had done, he'd left her mid-sentence to embrace another woman, Laira. And it was at that exact moment that Sam had realized that her feelings for her commanding officer ran far deeper than their professional relationship and involved far more than just physical attraction.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again," he replied quietly. Then realizing what he'd said, he quickly added, "Any of you." He sighed. "I was frustrated and depressed when I realized that I wasn't going to be able to get to the Stargate. I knew it might be years before I had the chance to return home, if the chance came at all. After awhile, I just decided that I could either continue sulking or accept life as it existed on that planet." He shrugged. "Laira was kind and provided companionship, which I was desperately missing at the time."

As he said the words, it dawned on him that it really had been Sam he had missed most of all. He'd used Laira to try and fill the void she'd left in his life, but it hadn't worked. And he knew now why he didn't want to talk to Sam about her. It was as if he had cheated on her with Laira, even though they weren't together in that way, even though they _couldn't_ be together in that way. He shook his head at the complexity of it all and decided, as he always did when it came to his feelings for his Second, that it would be best to change the subject.

"So, enough about my love life. I want to hear more about your college years." He grinned at her.

She stopped in her tracks and looked around, her P-90 ready. "Did you hear that?"

Jack kept walking. "Come on, Carter, you're not getting out of this conversation that easily."

"No, sir. I'm serious. I heard something." She spun in a slow circle. "And I still get the feeling we're being watched."

Jack stopped and listened for a moment, and though he didn't hear anything, the hairs on the back of his neck started standing up on end. "Yeah, maybe you're right..."

He had just raised his own weapon, when he heard a deafening roar and was suddenly thrown to the ground, a heavy mass of fur and fangs covering his body.

"Sir!" Sam screamed. But before she could do anything to help him, she caught sight of a second animal, nearly hidden in the canopy directly above her. As she raised her weapon above her head, the animal leapt toward her with a growl, fangs and claws bared. She immediately let loose with her P-90, and the animal dropped to the ground at her feet, dead.

Sam spun around to find Jack lying on the forest floor, with what appeared to be a panther-like creature on top of him, trying to get at him with its fangs, its huge claws pinning his chest. Jack had his P-90 wedged under the animal's head but was rapidly losing the battle to keep the animal from ripping out his throat. Sam quickly switched to single fire and aimed her weapon at the panther's head. It was a tight shot, made more difficult by both the proximity of her CO and the movement of the animal, but she had little choice. Jack was damn close to being eaten. She took a breath, sighted the shot, and fired.

Without a sound, the animal fell on top of Jack. Sam scanned the canopy a second time to make sure there weren't any other animals, then ran to Jack's side. He groaned and began trying to push the big cat off of him. "What is this thing?" he asked.

"It looks like some kind of panther, sir," she replied, helping him move the animal. "There were two of them. I shot the other one, too."

He grunted and sat up. "I thought you said there wasn't anything dangerous on this planet."

"I said there wasn't anything dangerous that we knew about. I doubt that we did a complete inventory of all of the wildlife here." And, she thought to herself, did I mention I just saved your sorry ass by killing not one, but two, examples of said wildlife?

Sam helped Jack to his feet. He gave her an exasperated look. "Now you tell me..."

She bit back a smart assed reply when she looked at his shirt and saw a red stain starting to spread from beneath his tac vest. "Sir, you're bleeding."

Without thinking, she began removing his vest in order to get a better look at the wound. Through his torn shirt, she could see a small scratch on his chest. "You better take off your shirt, so we can get it cleaned up."

He looked at her, bemused, but did as he was told and removed his shirt. The cat had scratched him on his left pectoral. As he examined the wound, Sam began ripping a strip of cloth from the bottom of her shirt. "What are you doing?" he asked. "It's a tiny little scratch. Nothing to go ripping your clothes over."

Sam was all business. "You don't want it to get infected. We don't have any antibiotics out here." She poured some water from her canteen on the shirt as she spoke. "You were lucky. Looks like the tac vest took the brunt of the assault." And with that she began dabbing the scratch with her shirt.

"Ow!" he yelled. "Could you be a little gentler, Carter?"

Good god, he was impossible. "Don't be a baby," she muttered.

"Oh, first I'm mean and now I'm a baby?" Sam dabbed a little harder. "Ouch!" Jack grabbed her hand. "What's going on with you, Carter?"

"Nothing. Never mind." Sam tried to walk away, but Jack held her hand tighter and pulled her to him.

"Uh-uh, not so fast, Major." His face was just inches from hers, and his voice was low. "What's this all about?" he asked, not unkindly.

She stared at his chest, refusing to meet his eyes. "Sometimes," she started, "I think you take me for granted." She chanced a look at his face and saw nothing but confusion there, so she continued. "Like just now. I made an impossible shot and killed the animal that would have killed you, and all you can do is chastise me for failing to warn you about the danger." She looked at his face a second time and saw that it had softened considerably. Still, he held her tightly and didn't say a word.

After a moment, Sam spoke again, her eyes back on his chest and her voice not much above a whisper. "And on Edora. I altered the laws of physics to bring you home and you...and you..." Oh shit, she thought. She was dangerously close to crying. And Air Force Majors didn't cry, at least not about this sort of thing.

Despite her best efforts, she felt a single tear escape and roll down her cheek. Mortified, she tried to duck her head, only to have Jack place his hand on her cheek and lift her face to his. With his thumb, he brushed away the tear. She looked up into his eyes and what she saw there caused her breath to hitch: compassion, regret...and desire.

"You're right," he whispered. "Sometimes I forget to thank you for the impossible things you do, and I should. I know I should. And I'm sorry for that. But don't ever think for one second that I take you for granted."

Sam's heart started to race, as he looked from her eyes to her lips and back again. And just as she was certain he was going to kiss her, he mumbled, "C'mere," and wrapped his arms around her in an intimate embrace.

Damn, Jack thought. What was wrong with him? He was a heartbeat away from kissing his Second in Command. He'd screwed up on Edora; he knew that. But he'd never known it upset her so much. Why? He wondered. Unless he meant more to her than just a superior officer, a friend. But she was young and intelligent and beautiful; she couldn't possibly think of him that way, could she? But then, he'd looked into her eyes just now and saw the same longing there he felt for her. And it thrilled him and terrified him all at once. And, god, she felt good in his arms. He needed a distraction, and quickly, or he was going to break several military regulations at once.

He released her. "Hungry?" he asked, with a smile.

"Starving," she replied, grinning up at him.

"I wonder how alien panther tastes?" She grimaced, but the two of them immediately set out preparing one of the animals for cooking. Within a matter of minutes, they had strips of panther meat roasting over a small fire.

Jack took a bite. "Not bad," he said. "Not good, but not bad, either." They ate their fill, then wrapped some meat in leaves to take with them on the trip, unsure of where their next meal might be found.

As they set out on the trail, Sam finally voiced the concern they both shared. "You think Teal'c is okay?"

Jack considered his reply. "We have no reason to think otherwise. He clearly came this far without running into trouble. We'll find him, Carter."

They hiked for several more hours, finally coming to an open meadow. By then, it was getting dark, so Jack decided the location was a good place to camp for the night. As they ate their second meal of panther meat, Sam reviewed their progress.

"You know, sir, I think Teal'c's path may be going in one big circle. If we keep heading in the direction of his current trail, we should wind up back near the Stargate."

"That's good, Carter, because if we don't find him in the next day or so, I think we may need to head back to the 'gate to get reinforcements."

"Yes, sir," she replied.

He looked at his Second and stood up. "Come on."

"What?" she asked.

"Come with me." He held out a hand, and she took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

He led her up to a rocky plateau, never letting go of her hand. He pulled her on top, and pointed to sky. "Look," he said.

Sam looked up and gasped. The sky was completely clear and strewn with millions of stars. "It's beautiful," she murmured.

Jack sat down on the rock and then laid back. Sam quickly joined him. "Look at that," he said, pointing skyward. "That looks like Daniel's glasses."

"Where?" she asked. He pulled her over, so that her head was resting next to his. They spent the next hour, looking at the sky and pointing out made-up constellations to each other, many of which made Sam laugh.

After a while Jack turned to her. "So, Carter, have you _really_ slept with 25 men?"

She sighed. "Honestly? I don't know." She looked at him and then back up at the sky. "I went through a phase after my mother died when I did everything I could to piss my father off." She was quiet for awhile, then continued. "I did all kinds of crazy things. I got my belly button pierced, I started riding motorcycles, I drank - a lot…" she paused, reflective. "And I slept around. Probably the only thing I didn't do was drugs. And through it all, I somehow managed to keep my grades up."

"So what changed?" asked Jack.

Sam smiled. "Well, some things didn't. I still like motorcycles. And I still have my belly button ring, even if I don't wear it on missions." Sam smiled at Jack's raised eyebrows. "But as for the rest, well, a family friend pointed out that the only person I was hurting was myself."

Jack thought for a minute, and it hit him. "Hammond. It was General Hammond who got to you."

Sam nodded. "Yes. He's the one who convinced me to join the Air Force, not my father. And he probably saved my life in the process."

"I can relate to that," Jack replied softly.

And with that, he put his hand right next to hers. And if their fingers happened to intertwine a bit, it was purely for economy of space.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day, Jack and Sam spent the morning working their way across the meadow. By early afternoon, they were headed back into the forest. Before they entered the canopy, though, Jack took one last look at the sky and frowned. Several clouds had moved in over the course of the day, and the sky behind them was starting to look threatening.

"Let's pick up the pace, Carter. I don't like the look of those clouds."

Sam turned to look as well. "We may need to find shelter if that comes this way."

"Right. And I'm worried we might lose the trail. Let's go."

They had been walking for over two hours when the storm hit. One moment, the forest was completely still; the next a great wind tore through the tops of the trees, followed quickly by a pounding rain. Jack and Sam were instantly soaked. Worse, the forest floor became muddy and slick, Teal'c's trail now impossible to follow. The sky rumbled.

"We need to get under some cover!" Jack yelled to Sam over the roar of the wind. He looked overhead. "I'm worried about these trees!"

"Yes, sir!" she yelled back at him. Sam pointed to a raised, rocky area several yards from their current position. "There may be something over there!"

Jack wasn't thrilled about walking further in the storm, but he didn't see any other option. He had seen more than one large branch brought down by harsh winds, and he didn't want to risk being struck.

Carefully, they made their way toward the rocks, their feet slipping and sliding over the forest floor. Just as Jack was turning to warn Sam to be careful along the ridgeline they were following, the edge of the trail collapsed beneath her, and she went sliding down into a small ravine.

"Carter!" Jack got as close to the edge of the ravine as he dared and looked over. The rain was coming down in sheets, and he couldn't see a thing. "Carter!" he yelled over the edge. He got no response. He swore and looked around for an easy way down. Not finding any, he swore again.

Jack lowered himself over the edge, trying to find purchase on the slick and muddy surface of the sloping wall. Slowly, he began making his way down, holding on to bushes and small trees while digging toe holds out of the soft loam. Every few minutes he paused, looking for Sam and calling her name. The closer he got to the bottom of the ravine, the more concerned he became when she didn't answer.

Finally, the torrential rain became a steady downpour, improving Jack's visibility substantially. He looked down and realized he was only a few feet from the bottom, a newly formed stream flowing below him. A short way downstream, he saw Sam lying half-submerged in the water. "Sam!" he called again. She didn't move.

Jack quickly made his way to her position and felt his gut clench when he took in her condition. Though he couldn't see any blood or obviously broken bones, she was clearly unconscious, her face pale and her lips blue. His fingers trembled as he placed them on her neck, desperate to feel a pulse. A wave of despair washed over him when he didn't feel anything. "Please, Sam," he pleaded softly, his voice breaking on her name. He moved his fingers slightly and was overcome with relief when he finally felt a pulse, faint, but there.

He knew he needed to move her out of the water, but he had to find out if she had broken her back or neck first. "Sam," he said, as he patted her face. "Sam!"

Her eyes fluttered open, while Jack continued patting her face and repeating her name. "Stop it," she mumbled quietly. Then after a beat added, "Sir." A faint smile crossed her face.

Jack returned the smile. "Can you wiggle your fingers?" Sam lifted her hands and moved her fingers for him. "Good. How 'bout your feet?" Sam bent her legs and groaned. "What hurts, Carter?"

"Everything," she replied. She moved her hand to the back of her head. "My head. What happened?"

"You decided to take a short cut down the hill. You must have hit your head and blacked out."

"I'm cold," she said. And Jack could see that she was starting to shiver. He needed to get her out of the water and someplace warm and dry. The only problem was that it was still pouring, and their only hope of shelter was now a long way up.

"Can you stand?" he asked.

Sam was really starting to tremble now. "I...think so."

"Come on." Jack wrapped his arm around her torso and eased her up and out of the water. "Anything broken?"

Sam took a few tentative steps. "No, I'm just sore. And cold." She placed her hand on the back of her head again.

"Let me see," he said softly, moving behind her. He didn't see any blood, but he could feel a lump beginning to form. "Looks like you did a number on the back of your head, Carter. You may have a concussion."

She smiled. "Wouldn't be the first time, sir."

She wrapped her arms around herself, and Jack noticed the blue tinge returning to her lips. Though the wind had died down, the rain was still falling steadily. Jack figured Sam had been lying in the water for at least 45 minutes, and they were only an hour or so away from nightfall. If he didn't find someplace warm and dry quickly, he knew that she could be in real trouble.

He looked around but couldn't see anything past the narrow walls of the ravine. "Stay here," he told her. "I'm going to see if I can find someplace to shelter further downstream." He helped her sit well above the water line. "And stay awake, Major. That's an order."

"Yes, sir," she replied, her teeth chattering.

The further he hiked down the length of the ravine, the more Jack had to fight a rising sense of panic. He knew there was no way that he would be able to climb out himself, much less help Sam; the earth was too soft, and he had no gear. And thus far, he'd seen nothing but trees, mud, and water, not the caves or rocky outcroppings he was hoping for.

Just as he was about to give up and return to his Second, he noticed that the walls of the ravine were sloping down to meet him. After several more yards, the ravine opened up to a large flat area, where the trees were more evenly spaced than the rest of the forest. At first glance, Jack thought he saw several large rocks strewn about the landscape, but upon closer inspection, he realized that the rocks were actually the ruins of an ancient city, with at least some of the structures still partially intact. "Bingo," he muttered, as he turned and headed back toward Sam.

By the time he reached her, it was almost dark. She was barely vertical, and he rushed to her side calling her name. "Still awake, sir," she mumbled.

"On your feet, Major." Once again, Jack grabbed her under her arms and helped her to stand. "I found shelter, Carter. I just need you to walk with me a little way."

"Yes, sir," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

With Jack supporting her, they slowly made their way down the ravine until they finally arrived at the ruins of the ancient city. As Jack paused to look for the best shelter, he felt Sam begin to collapse. He picked her up and made his way to the largest structure he could find that still had part of its roof intact.

Once inside and sheltered from the steady rain, he sat Sam down and began to look for anything that would burn. Everything in the immediate area was wet. However, when he ventured further into the structure, he found row after row of books, some of which appeared to be dry. He quickly grabbed several volumes and started ripping out the pages.

"I think we found the library, Carter." He looked at his Second, concerned when she didn't respond. "Don't tell Daniel about this," he said as he continued ripping pages from the books. "I hope this is the Tax Code and not the volumes that contain the meaning of life, the universe, and everything."

As fast as he could, he used his flint to start a fire, piling more and more material on top, including pieces of what he assumed was an old wooden table that he'd spotted in a corner. When he had a decent sized fire going, he helped Sam to stand once again.

"Cold," she whispered and started shivering violently.

"I know," he replied. "We need to get out of these wet clothes."

Quickly, he helped her strip down to her underwear, then he did the same. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her shivering body. She was cold as ice, her skin covered in goose bumps. He moved her as close to the fire as he dared and began vigorously rubbing her back. Unfortunately, her bra and panties were still soaking wet, as were his boxers. Jack closed his eyes and sighed. "You know, Carter, I hate to mention it, but this would be much more effective if..."

"Do it," she interrupted.

He gave her a quick nod, brought his hands to the back of her bra, and unhooked the clasp. Sam looked up at him and said through chattering teeth, "Normally, I'd make you buy me dinner first."

He smiled. "Rain check?"

"Yes, sir." She moved back from him slightly to allow him to slip the bra off her arms. It fell to the floor, and he tried his best to keep his gaze somewhere over the top of her head.

"When we get back, I'll buy you a big steak and a baked potato with all the fixin's," he said as he dropped his boxers, keeping his eyes on hers.

She slipped her panties down her legs. "Will there be cheesecake?" She was shaking so badly now, she had a hard time getting the words out.

"Of course." He gathered her to him again and held her tightly, telling himself that she was just another soldier under his command, that he was only doing this to keep her from becoming hypothermic. But he knew better. He'd developed certain feelings for her over the last few years, feelings he had tried to repress but had now been brought to the surface. And he couldn't help but notice how her soft curves molded to the hard planes of his body. Heat generation was not going to be a problem.

"Oh, that feels so much better." She practically moaned the words, and the sound shot straight to his groin.

Jack cleared his throat. "It would really, really help me out if you wouldn't say things like that."

He felt her smile against his chest. "Sorry, sir."

"S'okay. It could be worse. You could be Teal'c." He was pretty sure she was laughing, but it was difficult to tell because she was shivering, too.

"I hope he's all right," she mumbled.

He bent his head down so that it rested on top of hers. "Me too, Carter."

After a minute, she spoke again. "I'm really tired, sir."

"C'mere," he said, and he lowered her to the ground in front of the fire, turning her so that he held her from behind. She leaned back against him and was instantly asleep.

Jack woke her up several times over the next few hours, concerned about her possible concussion. Each time, she felt a little better. Still, though, he held her, using his body to warm hers.

The last time Sam woke up, she did so on her own, and for the first time that night, she was comfortable. They were laying together, the fire still burning and warming her from the front, Jack's body heating the length of hers from behind.

She slowly became more conscious of how she and Jack were intertwined together. He held her with his arms wrapped around hers just under her breasts. Her head rested in the hollow of his shoulder, and one of his legs was wedged between hers. It occurred to her that this was a lover's embrace, and she immediately felt a wave of desire course through her body.

She nestled more intimately against him and discovered that he was just as aroused as she was. In fact, the evidence of his desire was now pressing firmly against her backside, and she knew then that she wanted him more than she had wanted any man. Slowly, she moved his hand to her lips and kissed it, hoping that he would take the hint.

"Don't," Jack whispered.

Sam froze, then closed her eyes as a wave of embarrassment washed over her. How could she have so completely misread the situation? Clearly, he was just doing his duty as her commanding officer, keeping her from becoming hypothermic. Keeping his subordinate safe.

Feeling her tense in his arms, Jack continued, his voice low and rough. "My self control is hanging by a thread here, Sam." After a moment, he continued. "I've spent the better part of the night trying to reconcile my feelings for you with my age, our ranks…our reporting relationship. And I can't."

She let his words sink in. "What if I don't care about those things?" she asked softly.

He held her tighter. "The only way it works is if one of us leaves the team. And I'm not ready to let that happen. Not yet."

He was right, of course. She couldn't report to the man she was sleeping with. And it had nothing to do with the regs. It was about integrity – hers, his, and the team's. And like him, she wasn't ready to give up SG1.

"So what happens now?" she whispered.

He sighed. "We go on like we always have. And we wait. Because one day, Sam, we'll have our chance. I promise."

She closed her eyes as a single tear slid down her cheek. Given the nature of their jobs, she wasn't so sure. But she saw little choice but to hold on and hope. "Okay," she said finally.

He continued to hold her tightly, and after awhile, his breathing evened out, and she knew he was asleep. It as a long time, though, before she joined him.


	5. Chapter 5

Jack sensed a large presence nearby and immediately woke to find Teal'c placing his BDU shirt over the naked form of his Second, who was still wrapped in his arms.

"Teal'c!" he exclaimed in a soft voice, so as to avoid waking Sam.

The Jaffa inclined his head. "O'Neill."

Jack's eyes darted from Teal'c to Sam and back again. "Uh, this isn't what it looks like."

"It appears that you endeavored to keep Major Carter warm last night after having been caught in the storm," he replied, stoic as always.

Jack considered whether Teal'c's words had a double meaning and decided it didn't matter. "Well, I guess it's exactly what it looks like, then." Jack got up carefully, still trying not to disturb Sam. He began gathering his clothes, which he'd had the foresight to set near the fire during the night. "Where the hell have you been?"

The Jaffa stood tall with his head held high. "I have been on a journey, O'Neill."

"Really? No kidding," Jack said sarcastically, as he pulled on his pants.

"It would seem that the fruit we ingested contains certain hallucinogenic properties."

"Once again, really? No kidding." Jack poked his head through his T-shirt.

Teal'c continued without missing a beat. "For several days I have been following what I believed to be the spirit of the animal we killed and ate."

Jack's eyebrows shot up. "The goat? You've been following the goat?"

"I have."

Jack laughed. "I haven't heard anything that crazy since the 60's. Sounds like it was some trip."

"Indeed."

"So how'd you find us?" Jack asked, as he laced up his boots.

"My vision led me to this place yesterday. I was able to take shelter in one of the ruins during the storm. I observed your fire last night and came here this morning when the rains ceased."

Jack squinted at Teal'c. "So what's with the..." He pointed to yellow tuft of hair under the Jaffa's lower lip.

For the first time that morning, Teal'c may have looked concerned, though Jack could never be sure. "I am uncertain. I believe it may symbolize the completion of my journey."

"Your journey. Following the goat." Jack's voice was laced with skepticism.

"A vision quest," Sam said from the other side of the room. She was sitting up, with Teal'c's shirt wrapped around her.

"Hey," Jack said softly, walking over to her. He knelt down in front of her and touched the back of her head. The lump that had formed there yesterday had decreased significantly. "How are you feeling?"

She gave him a small smile. "Much better, sir. Thanks." They exchanged a long look. Jack let his fingers trail from the back of her head, to the side of her face, and down her cheek. He smiled back at her, then stood.

"What is a vision quest, Major Carter?" asked Teal'c.

She stood too, Teal'c's shirt now hanging like a dress on her. "Well, I'm sure Daniel could do a better job of explaining it, but in a nutshell, it's a Native American ritual where a person takes a journey into the wilderness alone, seeking spiritual direction. The person is often led by a guardian that takes the shape of an animal."

"It's was also a mediocre movie from the 80's," Jack added.

Sam shot Jack a pointed look, but Teal'c ignored him. "It does indeed sound as if I were on vision quest."

"So where exactly did this vision quest lead you?" asked Jack.

Teal'c looked at him as though the answer were obvious. "I believe it led me here, O'Neill."

"Here? As in this crumbling ruin? Because while it's going to make one heck of a 'Get Well Soon' gift for Daniel, I'm not sure it was worth a three day trek through the forest."

The Jaffa looked at Jack thoughtfully. "Perhaps _I _was not the one meant to find something on this journey." And with that, Teal'c turned on his heel and left Jack and Sam staring at each other.

oOoOoOo

Once Sam was fully dressed, she joined Jack and Teal'c outside the library.

"So what is this place?" Jack asked her.

"I don't know, sir. I don't think it was discovered when they scouted the planet."

"Remind me to have a word with whoever was in charge of that mission," he muttered. The three of them looked around the ruins for awhile but failed to find anything other than various writings in a strange language that none of them recognized.

"Well, I don't see anything here of technological significance. I think this is something more up Daniel's alley."

"I agree, O'Neill. Perhaps we should make our way back to the Stargate."

They searched the edge of the ruins, and eventually found a path that, according to Sam, led back in the general direction of their camp and the Stargate. Several hours later, with the Stargate now in sight, Jack continued to question Teal'c about his quest.

"So, if the purpose of your journey was to find the ruins, T, I'd say you took the long way around."

"It often takes a significant amount of time to discover that which is worth finding," he replied, somewhat cryptically.

Jack slowed his stride and fell back next to Sam. In a low voice he said to her, "You know, I'd really appreciate it if he'd stop talking like Yoda."

"Yoda was extremely wise, O'Neill," Teal'c stated from several feet ahead. O'Neill grimaced, apparently having forgotten that the Jaffa's senses were more finely attuned than a human's.

Sam chuckled. "Should we try the Earth 'gate, sir? They should have it up."

"Definitely," he responded enthusiastically.

The three of them bypassed their camp and walked straight to the Stargate. Sam punched in the coordinates for Earth, but when she hit the orange crystal in the middle, nothing happened.

"Son of a bitch!" Jack swore.

Sam furrowed her brow. "Something must be wrong. It's been over a week. The second gate should be working by now."

Jack ran his hands through his hair. "Okay, so we'll camp here tonight and try again tomorrow morning. If that doesn't work, then we'll go to Cimmeria."

They wandered back to their camp, and Jack took out his fishing gear. Before long, they were gathered around the fire once again, eating fish for dinner. It was a quiet meal, all three in a pensive mood.

When Teal'c left to Kel'noreem, Jack extended his hand to Sam, like he had two nights before. She took it without question. He led her to an open space, away from the fire, and lay on the ground, looking up at the clear sky. Sam joined him, her head next to his. They watched the stars in silence for awhile before Jack spoke.

"So, tomorrow we go back to work. So to speak."

Sam sighed. "I know. And I know we will probably need to be even more professional around each other than we have in the past."

He turned to look at her. "And we're all right with that?"

She smiled softly at him. "We are. At least for now."

He reached over, grabbed her hand, and gave it a small squeeze. "For now," he repeated.

oOoOoOo

All three members of SG1 rose early the next morning, eager to return to at least some form of civilization. After eating what they hoped was the last of the fish, they packed up what little they had and trekked to the Stargate.

Sam punched in the coordinates for Earth. By now, they were so accustomed to nothing happening, when the event horizon blossomed toward them, all they could do was gape at it for several seconds.

"It's working!" Sam said.

"Finally!" replied Jack.

"O'Neill, Major Carter." The officers turned toward Teal'c. "I believe it may be wise to keep the details of our journey over the last few days confidential."

Jack grinned. "You mean, you don't want us to mention that you got hopped up on psychedelic berries and chased an imaginary goat all over the planet?"

Sam wasn't sure, but she thought Teal'c might have been glowering. "Indeed. Likewise, I would assume that you would prefer not to discuss the manner in which you prevented Major Carter from becoming hypothermic."

Jack looked sideways at Sam, who was blushing slightly. "I think we can get behind that idea. Sort of a 'what happens on P3X-234, stays on P3X-234' kind of deal?"

"Indeed." Jack and Sam nodded their agreement. Sam quickly punched in the IDC, and she and Teal'c began moving toward the event horizon.

"Just one more thing," Jack said. He walked up to Sam. "Since everything here remains confidential," he said to her in a low voice.

He placed his hands on either side of her face and brought his lips down to hers. He hoped to convey the depth of his feelings for her and the sincerity of his promise that one day they would explore this thing that had developed between them. He was more than a little relieved when she responded in kind. And knowing that he would not likely have another opportunity to share a kiss with his Second anytime in the near future, he committed as much to memory as could - the way she tasted, the way her hands moved over his back, how her body felt pressed to his, how her passion matched his own.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed when he heard Teal'c speak. "I do not believe it is possible to sustain a wormhole for more than 38 minutes, O'Neill."

Jack broke apart from Sam and still holding her face, looked directly into her eyes. "Okay?" he whispered.

"Okay," she replied, a soft smile gracing her features.

Jack grinned. "Then let's go home!" And with that he turned and walked through the Stargate, Sam and Teal'c following closely behind.

The End

**A/N - Having watched all of the episodes in the series pretty much back to back, it seemed clear to me that something happened between Jack and Sam during their time on P3X-234 to alter the nature of their relationship and set up all of the shippiness in Season 4. If you watch the parallel scenes at the beginning of Nemesis and Small Victories between the two of them, you'll see what I mean. And even though I usually don't do UST (didn't we get enough of that on the show?), it seemed to fit here. Hope you're not disappointed. :)**

**Thanks for reading, and if you get a chance, I'd love to know what you think.**


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